Photographic camera having external power supply

ABSTRACT

A camera having a recess in an exterior surface thereof and a battery assembly having mounting structure adapted to be slidably received by the recess for attaching the battery assembly to the camera to provide a source of energy for operating various components of the camera.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

A photographic camera having means for mounting a power source to anexterior surface of the camera.

2. Description of the Prior Art

Generally, cameras of today include a battery which provides a source ofenergy for running various components of the camera which relate to theprocessing of a film unit, i.e., the steps one takes to produce an imageeither latent or visible, in the film unit. These components may takethe form of an exposure control circuit, a flash firing circuit, motorsfor driving film advancing apparatus, shutter cocking and release, andin the case of cameras of the selfdeveloping or instant type apparatusfor driving at least one of a pair of rollers in order to spread aprocessing fluid across a photosensitive element of the film unit toinitiate development of a visible image in the film unit. In mostinstances, the battery is located within the camera and if it must bereplaced because of some defect within the battery itself such as anopen or shorted internal circuit or because its energy level has droppedbelow that required to operate any of the components of the camera, thenthe camera must be opened in order to replace the battery. Sometimes aproblem arises when there is a supply of film in the camera's filmchamber at the time that the battery fails, i.e., the light-tightness ofthe exposure chamber is violated thereby possibly resulting in prematureexposure of part or all of the film supply contained therein.

The above problem of a battery failing at an inopportune time isminimized to a degree by periodically replacing the battery every time anew film cassette containing a new battery is inserted into the camera,as taught by U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,750,551 and 2,213,768. However, since thebattery is now within the cassette, failure of the battery willnecessarily result in the loss of the unexposed film supply within thecassette.

It has also been proposed to provide a camera with a separatecompartment for receiving batteries, the compartment being configured soas to prevent incorrect insertion of a battery into the compartment.While this teaching may solve the problem of violating thelight-tightness during replacement of the batteries of the exposurechamber, the solution does not lend itself to minimizing the size of thecamera; nor does it provide a solution for those cameras wherein thebattery is located within the film cassette. Also, cameras having anexteriorly mounted source of energy have been described in the priorart. For example U.S. Pat. No. 3,853,396 discloses a camera having aninternal battery which is coupled to a motor, and an auxiliary unitincluding a battery which is adapted to be attached to the camera suchthat the two batteries are in series. Also see GermanOffenlegunzsschrift No. 2,330,766 (Offenlezunzstag: 9-1-75) wherein isshown a camera having a recess in an exterior surface for receiving agenerally flat battery. However, the motors of many cameras would beburned out if their source of energy were connected in series withanother source of energy as taught in the U.S. patent while the latterdescribed German publication fails to correct the aforementioned problemconcerning film cassettes having a defective battery therein. Further,as regards the last mentioned disclosure, there does not appear to beany teaching therein of configuring the battery and recess in such a waythat proper insertion of the battery into the recess will be guaranteed.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a photographic camera having a recessin an exterior surface thereof which is adapted to receive a batteryassembly which will provide a source of energy for operating variouscomponents of the camera; and to a battery assembly which is configuredsuch that it will be received by the recess in the camera only when theterminals of the battery assembly are aligned to operatively engage apair of electrical contacts in the camera. The recess is elongated andhas a dove tail configuration in cross section which is adapted tocooperate with a correspondingly configured extension or mountingstructure on the battery assembly to slidably guide the terminals on thebattery assembly into engagement with the electrical contacts in thecamera. In those instances wherein the camera houses an internalbattery, e.g., a battery located within a film cassette positionedwithin the camera or within an internal cavity or compartment, theterminals of the battery assembly are adapted to disconnect theelectrical contacts in the camera from the internally located batterywhile simultaneously connecting the battery of the battery assembly tothe electrical contacts.

It is an object of the invention to provide a camera with the capabilityto receive an externally mounted battery assembly in such a manner thatthe terminals on the battery assembly are always correctly oriented witha pair of electrical contacts in the camera.

It is another object of the invention to provide a means whereby abattery may be releasably attached to an exterior surface of a camera soas to replace a battery located within the camera.

Other objects of the invention will in part be obvious and will in partappear hereinafter.

The invention accordingly comprises the apparatus possessing theconstruction, combination of elements and arrangement of parts which areexemplified in the following detailed disclosure, and the scope of theapplication of which will be indicated in the claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

For a fuller understanding of the nature and objects of the invention,reference should be had to the following detailed description taken inconnection with the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a photographic camera, the camera beingshown in phantom in order to clearly show internal structure;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a battery assembly adapted for use withthe camera of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of an alternative embodiment of a batteryassembly;

FIG. 4 is a diagrammatic rear view of a portion of the camera shown inFIG. 1.

FIG. 5 is a bottom view of the camera shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is a side view, partly in section, of a rear portion of thecamera shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 7 is a view similar to FIG. 4 showing a rear wall of a cameraadapted for use with the battery assembly of FIG. 3;

FIG. 8 is a view similar to FIG. 6 showing the battery assembly of FIG.3 attached to a camera having a rear wall as shown in FIG. 7; and

FIG. 9 is a diagrammatic showing of the instant invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Reference is now made to FIG. 1 of the drawings wherein is shown acamera 10 of the type shown and described in the copending applicationof Andrew S. Ivester, Ser. No. 554,780 filed Mar. 3, 1975, now U.S. Pat.No. 3,994,002. The camera 10 includes a main housing 12 having a bottomwall 14, a rear wall including a vertical portion 16 and an inclinedportion 18, and a pair of side walls 20 (only one of which is shown).Extending forwardly of the side walls 20 and pivotally attached theretois a spread roller housing section 22 having an exit opening 24 throughwhich a film unit is adapted to be advanced to the exterior of thecamera. The exterior of the camera is completed by a shutter housing 26.

Walls 14, 16 and 20 define an open end chamber 28 for receiving a filmcassette 30. Mounted within the cassette 30 are a plurality of filmunits 32, a battery 34 having a pair of terminals 36 (only one of whichis shown), a platen 38 and a dark slide (not shown) for preventingpremature exposure of the uppermost film unit 32. The film cassette 30is adapted to be located within the film chamber 28 by pivoting thespread roller housing 22 in a clockwise manner (as viewed in FIG. 1) toexpose the open end of the film chamber 28. The film cassette 30 is thenslid into the film chamber 28 and the chamber secured by rotating thespread roller housing section 22 back to the position shown in FIG. 1.

Mounted within the film chamber 28 is a pair of electrical contacts 40and 42. Each contact includes a generally vertical member 44, anoutwardly extending portion 46 and a forwardly extending portion 48terminating is an unattached free end 50. Each of the vertical members44 is suitably attached to a support member 52 and has its end 54electrically connected into an electrical circuit 56, preferably havingelectrically energizable means such as a motor 58 for driving motordriven processing means 60, i.e., a film advancing apparatus or a pairof rollers for spreading a processing fluid, as described above; or inthe case where the processing means includes an automatic exposurecontrol circuit or a flash circuit, each end 54 is connected to theprocessing means 60 by an electrically energizable circuit, such as aline running directly from contact 42 to the processing means 60. Eachof the contacts 40 and 42 is resiliently biased to extend through anopening in the bottom wall of the film cassette to electrically engageone of the terminals 36 on the battery 34 thereby electrically couplingthe battery 34 into the electrical circuit to provide it with a sourceof energy for operating various components of the processing means 60 ofthe camera, as is well known in the art.

From the foregoing it can be seen that the chances of having a batteryfailure have been substantially reduced by automatically replacing thebattery everytime a new film cassette is loaded into the camera.However, if the condition of the battery in the cassette becomes suchthat it is unable to perform its function, provision must be made toprovide a substitute therefor in order to process the entire supply offilm within the cassette; and this substitution should take placewithout prematurely exposing any of the film units within the filmcassette. Accordingly, the instant invention includes providing thecamera with means for attaching an external battery to the camera in amanner which removes the battery 34 from the electrical circuit 56.Specifically, the bottom wall 14 of the camera 10 is provided with anelongated tapered recess 62 having an open end 64 in end wall 16, aclosed end 66 and a dove tail cross sectional configuration as measuredin a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the recess, asshown in FIG. 4. Rear wall 16 also includes a pair of openings 68 and 70having suitable means (not shown) for preventing the passage of anylight therethrough which would be actinic to the film units. As can beseen in FIG. 1, openings 68 and 70 are located in alignment with theforwardly extending portions 48 of the electrical contacts 40 and 42 butout of alignment with the vertical portions 44.

The recess 62 is adapted to slidably receive a battery assembly 72having a correspondingly shaped attachment plate 74 extending from agenerally flat thin battery 76. The battery 76 includes a pair ofterminals 78 and 80 extending upwardly therefrom and then forwardly inthe direction of the taper of the attachment plate 74. Mounted on top ofeach of the battery terminals is a strip of nonconducting material 82and 84, the purpose of which will be shortly explained. The plate 74includes side surfaces 86, 88 and 90 which are inwardly tapered toconform with the configuration of the recess 62.

Whenever the battery 34 in the film cassette fails and there is still asupply of film units left within the cassette 30, one merely attachesthe battery assembly 72 to the camera 10 by slidably inserting theattachment plate 74 into the recess 62. During this insertion, theterminals 78 and 80 are guided through the openings 68 and 70respectively, through a pair of laterally spaced openings 92 (only oneshown) in wall 52 and then into engagement with the contacts 40 and 42to move them out of electrical engagement with the battery terminals 36,thereby disconnecting the battery 34 from the circuit 56 and connectingthe external battery 76 into the circuit. This substitution of thebattery 76 for the battery 34 is depicted by the dotted line position ofcontact 42 in FIG. 9. Nonconducting strips 82 and 84 which are on theside of the battery terminals 78 and 80 closest to the terminals 36 ofbattery 34 insure that the internal battery 34 is removed from thecircuit whenever the battery assembly 72 is operatively coupled to thecamera. The battery 76 may now be used to supply the power forcompleting the processing of the remaining film units. It should benoted that the configuration of the recess 62 and the attachment plate74 is such that the recess will only receive the attachment plate 74when battery terminals 78 and 80 will operatively engage contacts 40 and42, respectively, thereby insuring the proper electrical connectiontherebetween, i.e., positive-to-positive and negative-to-negative.

Reference is now made to FIGS. 3, 7 and 8 wherein is shown amodification of the invention. Specifically, FIG. 3 shows a batteryassembly 72¹ having an attachment plate 74¹, a battery 76¹, and a pairof battery terminals 78¹ and 80¹ extending upwardly from the battery 76¹and outwardly towards it sides. The battery assembly 72¹ is adapted foruse with a camera 10 having a rear wall portion 16¹, as shown in FIG. 7.The rear wall portion 16¹ includes a pair of openings 68¹ and 70¹ whichmerge with a recess 62¹. Recess 62¹ is identical to recess 62 andcooperates in the same manner as previously described to receive theattachment plate 74¹ only when the latter is properly orientated toinsure correct electrical engagement between the battery terminals 78¹and 80¹ and the camera contacts 40 and 42. As shown in FIG. 8, theterminals 78¹ and 80¹ need only extend into the camera a distancesufficient to cam the contacts out of engagement with the batteryterminals 36.

While the invention has been described in conjunction with a filmcassette containing a battery it should be obvious that the instantinvention applies as well to a camera which may not have any provisionfor an internally mounted battery, i.e., the external battery of theinstant invention would be the sole source of power; or the cameraitself may have internal means, independent of a film cassette, forhousing a battery in which the terminals of the above-disclosed batteryassemblies would extend between the terminals of the internal batteryand the contacts of the camera.

Since certain changes may be made in the above apparatus withoutdeparting from the scope of the invention herein involved, it isintended that all matter contained in the above description or shown inthe accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and notin a limiting sense.

What is claimed is:
 1. A camera comprising:a housing; means defining achamber for receiving a film cassette containing at least one film unit;means for performing a function associated with the processing of thefilm unit; electrically energizable means adapted to be operativelycoupled to said performing means; an electrical circuit connected tosaid electrically energizable means, said circuit including a pair ofcontacts adapted for engagement with the terminals of a battery locatedwithin said camera to provide a source of energy for said electricallyenergizable means; and means for defining a recess in an exteriorsurface of said housing for releasably receiving at least a portion of abattery assembly to couple the battery assembly to said housing, saidrecess including means for guiding a pair of battery terminals on thebattery assembly to a position within said housing whereat the batteryterminals on the battery assembly engage and move said contacts out ofengagement with the terminals of the battery located within the camerathereby providing a new source of energy for said electricallyenergizable means.
 2. A camera as defined in claim 1 wherein said recessis located in a plane generally parallel with said exterior surface andincludes an open end and a closed end, said open end having a greaterwidth than said closed end to facilitate attachment of the batteryassembly to said camera.
 3. A camera as defined in claim 2 wherein saidrecess includes a rear wall and opposing side walls each said opposingwall including a portion tapering toward the other portion as said sidewalls terminate at said external surface of said housing.
 4. A cameracomprising:a housing; means defining a chamber for receiving a filmcassette containing at least one film unit; means for performing afunction associated with the processing of the film unit; electricallyenergizable means adapted to be operatively coupled to said performingmeans; an electrical circuit connected to said electrically energizablemeans, said circuit including a pair of contacts adapted for engagementwith the terminals of a battery located within said camera to provide asource of energy for said electrically energizable means; and means inan exterior surface of said housing for receiving at least a portion ofa battery assembly to couple the battery assembly to said housing, saidreceiving means including means for guiding a pair of battery terminalson the battery assembly to a position within said housing whereat thebattery terminals on the battery assembly engage and move said contactsout of engagement with the terminals of the battery located within thecamera thereby providing a new source of energy for said electricallyenergizable means.